Microbiologists Salary
The median pay for a microbiologists in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA is $123,590/year ($59.42/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $78K at the entry level to $184K for experienced workers.
So what does $124K get you in Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Santa Rosa-Petaluma’s Regional Price Parity (107.8). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About microbiologists
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What this looks like in Santa Rosa-Petaluma
Santa Rosa-Petaluma sits well above the national pay line for microbiologists, local pay runs about 40% higher than the U.S. median of $88K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,827/month, which is 38.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 8% above the national average (BEA RPP 107.8), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for microbiologists in metros near Santa Rosa-Petaluma, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $100K | , |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $130K | , |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $109K | , |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $124K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
Entry-level microbiologists (10th percentile) start around $78K. Mid-career wages sit at $124K. Top earners bring in $184K or more, a $106K spread from bottom to top.
Microbiologists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Microbiologists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $122K | +39% | 1,960 |
| California | $109K | +23% | 2,600 |
| Maryland | $108K | +23% | 1,590 |
| Georgia | $103K | +17% | 880 |
| New Jersey | $96K | +9% | 790 |
| Illinois | $92K | +5% | 1,470 |
| Oregon | $89K | +1% | 170 |
| Montana | $88K | -0% | 80 |
| Connecticut | $86K | -2% | 180 |
| North Carolina | $86K | -2% | 1,050 |
| Pennsylvania | $85K | -4% | 670 |
| Minnesota | $83K | -5% | 290 |
| Delaware | $83K | -6% | 190 |
| Colorado | $82K | -7% | 370 |
| New York | $81K | -8% | 1,050 |
| Florida | $81K | -8% | 270 |
| Iowa | $80K | -9% | 180 |
| New Hampshire | $79K | -10% | 170 |
| Michigan | $79K | -11% | 370 |
| Missouri | $79K | -11% | 140 |
| Indiana | $78K | -11% | 150 |
| Virginia | $78K | -12% | 280 |
| Washington | $78K | -12% | 340 |
| Tennessee | $78K | -12% | 210 |
| Alaska | $76K | -13% | 30 |
| Utah | $73K | -17% | 120 |
| Ohio | $73K | -18% | 530 |
| Nebraska | $72K | -18% | 90 |
| Hawaii | $71K | -19% | 60 |
| South Dakota | $71K | -20% | 80 |
| Kansas | $71K | -20% | 120 |
| Arizona | $70K | -21% | 80 |
| West Virginia | $69K | -22% | 40 |
| Wisconsin | $67K | -24% | 420 |
| Kentucky | $67K | -24% | 80 |
| Texas | $66K | -24% | 920 |
| Idaho | $66K | -25% | 70 |
| Alabama | $66K | -25% | 110 |
| South Carolina | $65K | -26% | 100 |
| Nevada | $64K | -27% | 110 |
| Mississippi | $62K | -30% | N/A |
| Arkansas | $60K | -32% | 140 |
Showing 1–10 of 42 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track microbiologists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Santa Rosa-Petaluma numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a microbiologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $124K, rent takes 38.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,827/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for microbiologists in Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new microbiologists typically earn — is $78K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,670/month. At HUD’s $2,827/month FMR, rent would take 61% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is microbiologist a high-paying job in Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
Local pay is 40% above the national median — $124K here vs. $88K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 8% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Santa Rosa-Petaluma compare to the national average for microbiologists?
Santa Rosa-Petaluma pays $124K median vs. the U.S. average of $88K — that’s +40%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 107.8), the purchasing-power equivalent is $115K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do microbiologists make in Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA?
The median is $123,590 a year, that works out to about $59 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $77,830, and experienced microbiologists can clear $184,310. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $124K enough to live in Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,300/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,827/month, which eats 38.7% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a microbiologists salary go in Santa Rosa-Petaluma?
Santa Rosa-Petaluma has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median microbiologists salary is worth about $114,647 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do microbiologists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.